Day 2: Stars, Puppies and All Things Thai

I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world. ~ Mary Anne Radmacher

There is a mysterious allure about looking up at stars at night. After the activities of the first day, our group went out to try to see the stars. The atmosphere was akin to that of a school campfire, as we crowded around the fire (meant to keep elephants away from our rooms), drank (a little) and played silly games.

Due to light pollution in Singapore, it was always rare to spy more than five lone stars hanging in the night sky. At the elephant park, however, there were easily up to a hundred. I could spot Orion’s belt, a constellation with three of the brightest stars in a line, shining in the dark. The spread of stars was similar to what I had seen in Laos two years back, and had been aching to see again. It made the freezing cold of that night somewhat bearable.

The second day got off to a slow start. Both groups were immersed in conducting and completing our research. The new activity for the day came in the afternoon when we entered the surrounding forests to feed elephants. Elephants in those forests are in the midst of acclimatizing to the conditions of the wild, so that they may be released in the future as fully independent animals capable of fending for themselves.

In addition to the elephants, the forest was also home to a litter of seven puppies.

Puppies! Puppies galore!

To me, the puppies represent a pure curiosity untouched by the outside world. Looking at their waggling tails, it is clear to see how much they are welcoming us. I realise that sometimes, to approach others, all you really need is to wholeheartedly welcome and accept them for who they are, without any form of judgement.

After all the interactions with genuine people and adorable animals, it was with a certain sadness that I left ENP.

Towards the end of the day, we made use of the free time by exploring the streets around the hotel. While exploring (and shopping), I witnessed something curious that the Thai shopkeepers do. It is a superstition for them that they must never lose their first customer, as losing their first business deal of the day was indicative of how the rest of the day would turn out. In fact, after securing their first deal, the shopkeepers start patting their goods, their wallets and their tills with the cash obtained from the customers. Part of their belief of “good luck for you, good luck for me”, to quote a shopkeeper.

Just like the quote that I chose today, the environment around us has a certain magic. This magic continues to fuel my introspection and gives me a clearer idea of who I am, every day.